1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a pencil eraser assembly for attachment to the writing end of a pencil, and more particularly to a sleeved eraser which protrudes from the sleeve at a point adjacent to the pencil lead.
2. Background Art
Both mechanical and conventional wood pencils have, for many years, been adapted to provide an attached eraser at the end of the cylindrical pencil barrel opposite from which the pencil lead extends out. Conventional wood pencils typically are provided with a non-renewable and non-adjustable eraser attached by means of a cylindrical band and sized such that the exhaustion of the usable portion of the eraser will coincide with the life of the pencil as it is used and resharpened.
Mechanical pencils, on the other hand, have a virtually unlimited life by virtue of replacement pencil leads. As a result mechanical pencils are usually provided with some sort of adjustable eraser mechanism and replaceable erasers. Examples of these eraser adjustment mechanisms can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,671,393; 3,072,101; 3,099,251; 3,203,401; and 4,352,580. Each of the above listed U.S. Patents provide a unique type of adjustment mechanism to facilitate extension of additional portions of an elongated eraser as it is consumed in normal use.
However, in all cases the eraser is located at the end of the pencil opposite that from which the lead extends. Thus, when the user desires to erase pencil writing, the pencil must be turned over to utilizer the eraser. None provide for an eraser in conical elemental alignment with the frustum segment of the pencil barrel assembly. If the eraser was located adjacent to the pencil lead it would eliminate the need to turn the pencil over in order to erase writing, and instead provide for a simple rotation of the pencil assembly about its barrel axis to properly position the eraser on the writing surface.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable eraser assembly for attachment to a pencil wherein the usable portion of the eraser is adjacent to the extended pencil lead.
It is another object of this invention to provide for a pencil eraser assembly which is adapted for attachment to a mechanical pencil or a conventional wood pencil. A third object is to provide an adjustable pencil eraser assembly which is inexpensive and simple to manufacture.